How to Grow a Small Business Using Social Media

So, you’ve mapped out your marketing strategy, created some killer branding and executed a successful launch. You’re now ready to establish your social media presence, but with so many brands fighting for voice on social platforms, the question is, how do you grow a small business on social media?

1.  Choose the Right Social Media Platforms for Your Business

Before you even start creating a social media strategy or profiles for your business, it’s important to choose the right platforms. Not every social media platform is right for every business, so you’ll need to do some research to figure out which platforms make the most sense for your brand. You’ll need to consider the following when choosing a platform:

Your Target Audience: Think about who you’re trying to reach. What age group are they in? What are their interests and values? Understanding these details will also help you tailor your social media strategy to better appeal to your audience. Keep in mind that different social media platforms have different demographics. For example, if your business caters to a younger audience, you may want to focus on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. Whereas if your business is geared towards professionals, then LinkedIn may be the better choice.

Your Business Goals: What are you hoping to accomplish through social media? Different platforms have different capabilities, so you’ll want to select those that align with your business goals. For example, if you’re a visual brand, Instagram may be a better choice than Twitter.

Your Resources: Do you have time to consistently post on multiple platforms? It’s better to focus on a few platforms and do those well than to spread yourself too thin.

2. Develop a Content Strategy

Figure out what type of content you want to post, how often you want to post, and what platforms you will be posting on. Providing shareable content that offers value to your audience will not only help you retain your existing audience but grow that audience by attracting new followers.

3. Create a Strong Social Media Presence

Once you’ve chosen the right platform for your business, it’s time to start building your presence. So, how do you go about creating that presence?

• Use consistent branding: Ensure your profiles are cohesive by using the same profile photo, branding and tone of voice across all your platforms.

• Write a compelling bio: Your bio is one of the first things users will see on your profile, so be sure that it is clear, concise and compelling.

• Post consistently: We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, consistency is key when it comes to social media. Sticking to a consistent posting schedule not only signals to your followers what to expect from your brand but will keep them engaged.

4. Utilise Paid Social Media Advertising

While organic reach on social media is often limited, paid advertising can boost your content to reach a larger audience. To make the most of paid ads, you’ll need to scope out a strategy. To create this strategy:

• Set clear goals: Before you start spending money on advertising, make sure you know what you want to accomplish. Do you want more website clicks, followers, or sales? Setting clear goals will help you determine the right targeting and budget for your campaigns.

• Target your audience: In order to be effective, your ads need to be shown to the right people. Use the targeting options available on each platform to narrow your audience based on demographics, interests, behaviours, and more.

• Test different ads and audiences: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different ads and targeting options. You can make use of A/B testing to find out which ads perform best with your audience.

• Monitor and adjust your campaigns: Keep an eye on your campaigns and make adjustments as needed. If something isn’t working, try changing the ad creative or targeting to see if it improves results.

5. Foster Partnerships and Collaborations

Collaborating with other brands and influencers is a great way to grow your audience, gain exposure and utilise cross promotion. Leverage the power of the influencer by tapping into an already engaged following whilst building credibility for your brand.

However, make sure to find the right influencers. Look for those who have a genuine interest in your brand and are aligned with your target audience.

While there is no set formula for growing your small business on social media, start with the basics. Refining your strategy, content plan and posting schedule will provide you with the building blocks on which to build your profile and ultimately your presence.